Matthew 12:30, “Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me Scatters.”Galatians 1:9-10, “As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”
I have been thinking upon this subject for a long time and still have a hard time finding any reason for Christians to be part of any Interfaith Council on any college campus. As a matter of fact I think there is more reason not to, but maybe I am wrong and you can help correct my analysis.
I know what you are about to read is going to ruffle feathers, but I just cannot hold my tongue any longer. I have held it for 3 years, and God has tugged at my heart and I have ignored it, but with going through what I have been going through with my sickness, I no longer fear what people think, but what God thinks. I have been known to write some controversial stuff before, and then stopped because of politics, but I am no longer walking that road. If God places it on my heart then I am going to write about it, whether or not people like me for it. Once you have had the fear of a disease that can kill you, you realize that what others think is not quite as important as what God thinks. I will have to stand before Him one day and no one else.
My goal is to challenge the Christian in my writings and to protect those young minds out there that are trying to wade through the truth of religion and what is true. This is about eternity and not tomorrow or the next day. Below in the quotes are the basic premise of the Interfaith Council at the University in the town I live in. Read them and see if you see anything wrong with it.
“The IUP Interfaith Council exists to serve the spiritual needs of the IUP community. Specifically, it seeks:
To be a forum for communication among various faith traditions at IUP and between these traditions and the university.
To foster mutual respect among religious groups on campus.
To be a forum in which to come to agreement on guidelines for on-campus religious practice.
To foster personal contact among members of different religious groups.
To be a forum in which to explore possibilities for cooperative religious programming.
To advocate spiritual growth and religious life. (emphasis mine)
To be a liaison between local churches and the IUP community.
The IUP Interfaith Council will be composed of one or more representatives from each recognized student religious organization approved for membership. Membership in the Interfaith Council is open to all duly recognized religious organizations of the IUP community”(http://search.www.iup.edu/search?q=interfaith+council&entqr=0&output=xml_no_dtd&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&entsp=a&ud=1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&proxystylesheet=IUP&site=IUP&client=IUP ). "
All I come up with are questions about Christians participating in such a program, and at best find that doing so is because either they feel forced, or are using it to attain a free room. At least that is what I hope, because for any other real reason would be to truly go against, in my opinion, the core of Christianity, Jesus Christ being the only way to Heaven.
How can Christians cooperate with another faith in programming? What will you promote with a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim or Wiccan? Good morals? That will not get you into Heaven and that promotes a works based faith, which Christianity is not. We are saved by grace alone, where all the others are works based. Maybe we could teach all to love each other? But the problem is we cannot truly love unless we know Jesus Christ and the love He showed us on the cross. It is because God loved us first that we are able to love and that needs to be taught, and not “God” in general, but the true Triune God. Our love would be in vain if we were not presenting the Gospel of Christ. You would just “love them” to hell if they do not know Christ. If in your collaboration you are not allowed to present Christ then what is the point? What program could Christians possibly ‘hold-hands’ or ‘cooperate’ with another religion? Please give me Biblical evidence for it. Show me where we are to partner with other religions, and I will point you to 1 & 2 Corinthians when Paul is talking to them about doing just that and bringing outside religious aspects into the church. Not only that, he was calling out those who were sinning within the church.
Why do we think God is going to move in our communities when we hold hands with the Devil? Any religion that is not Christianity is designed by Satan, or the sinfulness of man who was probably encouraged by Satan or his demons. Basically, to say you are cooperating with another religion on a project is like saying you are going to work with an anti-Christ to get something done. I wonder if the Angels and Demons get together around a table to discuss how they can work together for the betterment of the community? I can very much doubt it, since they hate man and anything that is Heavenly. So, why do we do that as leaders?
2 John 7-11, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
Some will say they get to then witness to the other leaders. Really? All you get to do is give your testimony. You are not allowed to proslytize at these meetings, which is what should be happening. If you are sitting with a bunch of non-Christian leaders, your goal should be their salvation and not how you can show the University campus that you are in bed together. That is hypocrisy at its finest and a slap in the face of God to say that we can use the means of Satan to help students find their way in life. Again, if it is not for God then it is against God.
We are to love and be tolerant to allow people to choose sin, which includes joining other religions, but that does not mean we promote that we think they are the same as we are, because we don’t. We believe Christianity is the only way to eternal life. What does it say in the end when students see leaders of Hindus, Muslims, and any other religion meeting each week, month or whatever to join together in cooperation for helping students? It says that there really is no difference and one is not better than the other.
Rom. 1:32, “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” For the leaders out there, would you as a Christian send someone to the Wiccan leader, the Muslim leader or the Universalist leader if they said they were looking for that style of worship? If so, why? You should be witnessing to them and keeping them as far away from those places as possible, because that is sending them into the domain of Satan and not God. You are hurting them if you do that and sinning, because you are sending them away from Christ.
Why are Christians then part of this worldly program, when we are not to be part of the world? Why do we get frustrated that the Holy Spirit is not moving when we hold hands in projects with faiths that deny Christ as Savior and Lord?
Revelation 22:14-16, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
2 comments:
I asked her permission to write this. I am adding it to challenge all those that call themselves Christians, as she poses excellent questions.
Catherine wrote:
Interesting post, Alan. I really am inspired by your deep commitment to your faith. Although we are on VERY different pages when it comes down to brass tacks about religion, your deep faith is very inspiring and is to, I am sure, those you interact with regularly in your life. :) Okay, so, you believe someone like Ghandi is in hell? I was ... Read Morealways taught that Christianity was a works based religion. But that could have been a Catholic thing, no? I DISTINCTLY remember learning how "you can't just believe Jesus was the son of God and that's enough. It is more important to LIVE with Jesus as your example". "Be "Christ-like" in all your doings, etc. No? Yes? That makes the most sense to me. But remember, I don't take the Bible literally AT ALL, so scripture will never ever convince me. Just wondering!always taught that Christianity was a works based religion. But that could have been a Catholic thing, no? I DISTINCTLY remember learning how "you can't just believe Jesus was the son of God and that's enough. It is more important to LIVE with Jesus as your example". "Be "Christ-like" in all your doings, etc. No? Yes? That makes the most sense to me. But remember, I don't take the Bible literally AT ALL, so scripture will never ever convince me. Just wondering!
As I understand, the commission of works exists as evidence of a changed person. How you live your life (abstinence from sin, etc.) serves as a witness and an outward sign that you are truly changed. Not a requirement on the heaven/hell level, but certainly an important indicator to others as to where you stand.
PS to Alan: I love your controversial statements. A fear of controversy has, in my opinion, made society a lot worse off than the discomfort associated with talking about important matters ever could.
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